PJs for a Purpose!

🎗️ PJs for a Purpose: Students Making a Difference in Medicine Hat

Today on the Porch, Brian sits down with students from Medicine Hat College’s Sport and Event Marketing program to talk about PJs for a Purpose. A heartfelt community initiative raising funds for a nature-themed room for pediatric cancer patients at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.

The conversation explores:

How PJs for a Purpose came to life

Fundraising goals and community involvement in Medicine Hat

Why creating healing, child-friendly hospital spaces matters

Real-world insights from the Sport and Event Marketing program

This episode highlights the power of student leadership, community fundraising, and local impact, showing how education and compassion can come together to create meaningful change.

👉 Learn how you can support PJs for a Purpose and help make a difference for children and families in our community.



Takeaways

PJs for a Purpose is a fundraising initiative for pediatric cancer patients.
The goal for this year is to raise $5,000.
Last year, the initiative raised close to $10,000.
The nature-themed room aims to provide emotional support to children.
Community involvement is crucial for the success of the initiative.
The sport and event marketing program offers hands-on experience.
Students learn to secure sponsorships and manage events.
Digital skills are essential in today's marketing landscape.
Donations can be made online or in-person at the Medicine Hat Health Foundation.
Participants can receive a tax receipt for donations of $10 or more.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to PJs for a Purpose
03:01 Fundraising Goals and Community Involvement
05:57 The Nature-Themed Room for Pediatric Patients
08:50 The Sport and Event Marketing Program
10:39 How to Get Involved and Donate

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Transcript

0:00

Hey, this is Brian again. And I'd like to ask you to do a favor. We can't do this work without people like you. So if you can, please. Like, share, subscribe, and tell your friends about bring Back the Porch. We're asking all local businesses to participate. All local schools around Medicine Hat and in the neighboring areas to participate and donate. This episode of Bring Back the Porch, brought to you by Bernie Leahy, River Street Realty. Let's get you home. And this time on the porch, we have two students from the Medicine Hat College Sport and Event Marketing and management program. Isaac Graham and Asia McCulloch. Welcome. Hi. Thank you. Yeah. Oh. Thank you. This is the third year that the program at the college has, gotten together with the medicine at Rattlers to try to raise some money for a very worthy cause of the medicine that hospital and all that to Asia. Explain what we're doing. Yeah. So we are fundraising for PJ's for a purpose. We on February 6th, we ask, local businesses, schools to wear their pajamas on February 6th, and donate $5. And that money will go towards the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, to create a nature themed room for the cancer patients in the pediatric wing. Isaac, if you can't wear your pajamas on the 6th of February, can you still take part in this? Yeah, you can take part anytime. Like many, there's one school in particular. I don't remember the name right now, but, they can't do it on the sixth, so we're actually postponing it and putting it on the seventh, I'm pretty sure, for them. So you can do it whenever you want. It's just like the main thing is just getting the PJs on and just helping and helping out the community, donating. And just like, getting together for a better cause. What's the main idea about it? And you're taking this outside of the college to this is not just students inside the college that are going to be wearing their PJs. Yeah it is. We're asking all local businesses to participate. All local schools around Medicine Hat and in the neighboring areas to participate and donate. Okay. Now, what's the goal? How much are we looking to raise? Our goal right now is $5,000. Okay. Now last year the goal was $5,000. Yeah, they raised close to $10,000, which is amazing. That's double what? The goal was. So. And that was in the second year, I think that 2024 was the first year that, the program did this PJ's for a purpose, I believe, according to the notes that Christina Heid has given me, that in that year they were able to buy a commercial gaming system for, the pediatric unit through Gamers Outreach. So that was I'm pretty sure, well received. This year. It's a tough one. Kids in the hospital fighting cancer. I don't know if you've ever had anybody in your family go through that. But it is not fun. No no it's not fun. You know with the the program, if I'm a business, do I have to notify anybody or do I just go out and tell my employees? If you want, you can wear your PJs to work on that day? Yeah. I don't think you have to notify anybody. It would help if you notified our, class or Christina Heid at the Rattler social media page. That way, we can come down to your business, film a little video saying thank you for participating. Yeah. What's the theme for this year's room? Do you know why is it? It's, We can. Nature theme type of room. Like, it's, like, kind of a magical, like, slash enchanted forest type of thing. So, like, I think there's kind of like a, like a magic forest out in, like, B.C. or something. We're kind of going for with that type of theme within the room, kind of just bringing, like, everybody's happy outdoors and like, all, like the things you do outdoors and stuff is really, a fun time. So I think we want to bring those memories towards those kids in that in that room right now. Okay. How did that, decision get made is to go with the, the woodland theme. I'm not really too sure. We just got notified by the regional hospital that they wanted to make a nature themed room, and we just went with it. I think it's a really good idea to have the outdoors come inside and bring imagination into the lives of the children. Okay. It says here the donation does more than just decorate a treatment room. There are the things that it's going to help, I guess emotionally, physically, as you said, it'll raise their spirits. Yeah. The big one. Then there's the emotional part of it. I think, like a lot of these kids are, having a hard time when they're going through the cancer and stuff like that. So we really just want to bring them happy memories and just, like, a thing to, look forward to and just be happy about in such a tough time. Okay. Now, the Rattlers are the other half of this, and you're a student athlete. Yeah. So, all the different sports teams at the college buying into this. I sure hope so. I have gone around to multiple of the sports teams, and just asked if they would be willing to just send a group photo of them wearing their pajamas, saying to donate. And most of them have recently. Still waiting on a few, but yeah, I think it would be a great idea to get everybody involved. So you you were in college last year as students. Did students wear their PJs? Yeah, surprisingly, like a lot of students wore their PJs. I know, I guess it is our program, but my entire program wore it. I know a bunch of the business students wore it. A lot of the student athletes that I saw around the school wore them too. So kind of a way, I guess, just to ease the stress of day to day class and homework and all that stuff that you guys have to put up with students. So, also builds spirit and brings the college alumni and body together, too. Absolutely. Yeah. For sure. I wanted to ask you about your program because this is an interesting program. If I was in your age, I think I'd be interested in this one. The sport and event marketing and management program. What does it entail? Well, in my mind, it's kind of like regular business, but it like, is all about sports. I love sports, I went into the program because it had sports in the name. But you, you learn so much more hands on. We do so many like, in class projects, out of class projects that just build experience and build confidence. It is, I think everybody should join this program, honestly. Isaac, has it helped you? Yeah, I think I think the main thing is the real world experience. Like a lot of the projects were going out and like, last year we hosted, an event with the Cubs and another one with the Rattlers, and you just get together with your class and, just kind of build a cohort and just start working out things, like, with each other, okay? Like, securing the businesses, like sponsors, things like that. Trying to figure out what you're going to do with the venue and how much space you have and things like that. All things you would need to know for what you would be doing with this, with this college, stuff. So but other than that, like, I think another main thing is kind of just like helping you communicate with others because, within this, like, program, you're going to be, doing a lot of teamwork, like a lot of group projects and stuff like that. So you want to be able, learn how to, get together in the groups and how to work with other people. Doing media interviews. Part of the program. Depends if you're in the media group, but. Oh there's different groups. Yeah. So within the PJ's for purpose committees, there's three separate committees, there's the media one which me and Isaac are on. Business Committee where they contact all the businesses, and then the school committee where they contact all the schools. Okay. Now, as part of your program, you said you go out and secure sponsors, etc.. So that's a little daunting to walk into a business, make a cold call. But good experience. Yes. Very, you know, how's the business community, reacted to you so far? Personally, I'm not too sure. I didn't get any doors slammed in your face. Maybe through email, but not ever in person. All right. Yeah. What are the things? Do you, involve yourself with the program? Is there any, electronic stuff like coverage of sports? Anything like that? Oh, like a lot of design stuff. Like, you learn how to make, like, posters and stuff to get the outreach and to kind of get the engagement going on the events. So, like, you learn stuff like Canva and or things like that, like a bunch of a good amount of digital tools, honestly. And you do do like, a lot of presentations in this class as well, or in this, program. So like you'll be building slides, posters. So there is a lot of online parts to it, which is really helpful because especially with today, like everything is online. So you do need to know how to do that stuff. So it is really helpful. It is a digital world. Yes. Now getting back to the PJ's for a purpose. Where do people send their donations if they're listening to this or watching and they want to take part? How do they get involved? Yeah. So if you go to the medicine hat rattlers social media pages, there should be the first pinned photo. There is a QR code that you can scan on any of our posters, and there should be a digital link that will take you right to the website where you can donate through there. And if you want to do in-person donations, you can go straight to the Medicine Hat Health Foundation. Okay. And a tax receipt. Is there a level that you have to reach in order to get a tax charitable donation? Yes. If you donate $10 or more, you will get a tax receipt. Okay. Anything else you wanted to touch on before we wrap up? No, I just I just want to thank you for this experience. Honestly. Thank you, thank you. Yeah, it this is a part of your learning and we're happy to help. And, hopefully, the people of medicine that will get behind PJ's for a purpose on the 6th of February and make sure that, we are able to equip that, pediatric cancer room in the medicine, that regional hospital. Yes. Thank you. Awesome. Thank you, thank you.